Teaching the "Three Minute Breathing Space" (3MBS) formal meditation practice to individual psychotherapy clients is a pragmatic way for aspiring Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) teachers to begin the process of MBCT Teacher Training (MTT). Like our clients, practitioners have full lives and need practical ways to cultivate and maintain new skills. In this one-hour training, clinicians will be introduced to a three-step 3MBS MBCT meditation practice, more accurately named the “3-Step Practice (3SP)” because duration can range and breath is not always used as an anchor. The 3SP has two forms referred to as regular and responsive. Whereas the regular version is to be practiced at scheduled times, the responsive (aka coping) version is for times of discomfort and distress. The inclusion of two versions of the 3SP reduces the risk that clients will only practice with the very avoidant and "doing" mode of mind that perpetuates emotional disorder symptoms. Such doing can take the form of perseverative cognition including worrying, ruminative brooding, and obsessing. Over the course of the full MBCT program clients with transdiagnostic conditions (i.e., anxiety, mood, and related) learn to identify maladaptive covert mental processes and intentionally "re-enter" everyday life after practice with attention and intention aimed at generalizing skills in the cognitive, physiological, and behavioral realms. This training will focus on the behavioral realm of re-entry and how to offer a treatment rationale to motivate practice. Future trainings in this series will cover additional formal MBCT practices.
The 3SP provides a practical beginning for teaching MBCT competently. It is considered the “spine” of the MBCT program. Step 1 develops and strengthens meta-cognitive awareness of thoughts, sensations, and feelings; Step 2 involves the gathering of attention around a chosen attentional anchor (e.g., breath, sound, touch, etc.) suited to the individual client being guided in practice; Step 3 broadens the attentional field and guides one to “befriend” experience as it is rather than "fight" or otherwise escape it. Efforts to avoid internal experiences only activate stress physiology and exacerbate symptoms.
The 3SP is considered the spine of MBCT training for many reasons that are further described in the MBCT protocol manual and associated workbook (see also suggested readings and www.philabta.org/EBP articles for more). The 3SP is anecdotally reported as the most-practiced meditation by MBCT students, probably because it is brief and contains essential elements that are foundational to the range of benefits linked to the MBCT program (Segal et al., 2013). Such benefits include enhancing metacognition transdiagnostically, compassion, and preventing relapse of mood disorders to date.
Attendees will observe an approach for enhancing competence teaching MBCT that is applicable to all formal practices included in the program. All will receive resources for practicing the 3SP personally and with their clients in the month following this training. Participants are asked to identify challenges and identify questions through reflective practice that will be addressed in this and follow-up CE events designed to support competence teaching MBCT practices in individual psychotherapy sessions.
Suggested reading
The Mindful Way Workbook: An 8-Week Program to Free Yourself from Depression and Emotional Distress.
Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Depression, Second Edition 2nd Edition
Mindfulness-Based Interventions - Teaching Assessment Criteria (MBI-TAC)
Baer, R., Crane, C., Miller, E., & Kuyken, W. (2019). Doing no harm in mindfulness-based programs: conceptual issues and empirical findings. Clinical psychology review, 71, 101-114.
Molnar, C. (June, 2014). Peer groups as a reflecting pool for enhancing wisdom. The Pennsylvania Psychologist Quarterly, pages 9-10.
CE Learning Objectives
Following this presentation, participants will be able to:
1. Describe the components of the regular 3-minute and 3-step "breathing space" MBCT practice (3MBS or 3SP).
2. Describe the components of the responsive MBCT 3SP for coping with difficult emotion states practice.
3. Observe an MBCT teacher trainer who meets criteria for inclusion on the international registry [www.accessmbct.com], as both therapist and trainer, implementing the regular 3SP.
4. Describe a practice plan and two resources for developing competence delivering the 3SP in individual psychotherapy sessions.
About Presenter
Chris Molnar, Ph.D., a licensed psychologist and clinical investigator, founded Mindful Exposure Therapy for Anxiety and Psychological Wellness Center (META Center) in 2007. She completed doctoral training at the Pennsylvania State University and post-doctoral fellowship training in traumatic stress, neuroscience, and psycho-physiology at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC). She is an expert in the assessment and treatment of anxiety, OCD, PTSD, emotional, and stress-related conditions using evidence-based practices. Through a co-sponsorship between META Center & PBTA she leads one of the handful of professional MBCT Teacher Training Organizations in the USA and virtually offering Continuing Professional Development. This includes the week-long professional CE retreat workshop for professionals seeking foundational training to develop competence teaching MBCT. She also teaches both Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) and Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) in individual and group psychotherapy formats. She has also developed adaptations for highly distressed clients, using Relational Mindfulness Practices (RBPs), to meet the needs of clients who have difficulty initially with the traditional 8-week MBSR & MBCT programs and elements. At META Center, she offers integrative interventions grounded in findings about the brain, emotion, and learning to facilitate mental and behavioral habit change, even in the face of severe distress. Before founding META Center, she served as a clinical investigator and therapist supported by grants from the National Institute of Health and other agencies. She is also on the editorial board of Behavior Therapy and serves the public in many ways, through professional presentations, workshops, publications, and affiliations.
Target Audience
This presentation is intended for licensed mental health professionals and advanced graduate student trainees seeking licensure. The instructional level of this presentation is BEGINNER.
Note: This workshop does not require attendees to have a formal mindfulness practice.
Continuing Education
- Philadelphia Behavior Therapy Association is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. Philadelphia Behavior Therapy Association maintains responsibility for this program and its content.
- Philadelphia Behavior Therapy Association is also approved by the NY State Education Department to offer psychology continuing education
- This program provides one (1) CE credit
- PBTA is also an authorized provider of CE credits for Professional Counselors, Marriage and Family Therapists, and Clinical Social Workers licensed in the state of Pennsylvania. Non-Psychologist Licensees outside of PA & practitioners outside of the USA please confirm eligibility with your specific licensing board.
- Full attendance with video display is required to obtain CE credit for this program. APA guidelines do not permit PBTA to issue partial CE credits. No refunds are provided for CE programs. No exceptions allowed.
- All events are Eastern Time Zone
- Contact PBTAcontinuingeducation@philabta.org if you need any learning accommodations no later than one week before event.
